A restaurant's success is contigent upon location, location and location. A website's success is contingent upon traffic, traffic and traffic. But what about marketing?
The three most important words of marketing are perception, perception, perception. The perception of your brand, product or service is the number one determining factor between success and failure.
Recall that a business must create value. Value is the relationship between the perceived benefit and the price. We all know that a candy bar costs pennies to produce. Yet, we perceive that the taste and our satisfaction is equal to or greater than $1, so we purchase.
Similar story regarding rocks. Martin Lindstrom, author of buy-ology, likes to talk about value with regards to rocks.
Try and sell an old rock you pick up from the street. Very difficult. What if that same rock is actually a moon rock? Or a piece of the Berlin Wall? Or maybe even a diamond? All of a sudden, the perception of that rock has changed and the value has increased.
So what do you sell? Is it any old rock or is it a diamond?
Create powerful perception around your product or service. Use marketing to shape the perception and promote the value you provide.
Showing posts with label marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marketing. Show all posts
Catch the Big Mouth Syndrome
The Big Mouth Syndrome is a disease that is highly advantageous.
Those of us that suffer from the Big Mouth Syndrome have a hard time saying "no" to things. It seems that our big mouth frequently volunteers for things that we don't necessarily think through. A potentially dangerous situation, but one that I actually encourage.
Why? Because saying "yes" whenever you can is a terrific way to build relationships. Relationships, as noted previously, are the lifeblood of a small business. Cultivating relationships is the primary factor between long term success and failure.
Big Mouth Syndrome is most contagious with start up companies who are just getting some footing. But the syndrome is equally powerful when seeking new business or when navigating periods of unpredictable revenues.
Say "yes" whenever possible. If "yes" is not possible, tell the other party that you will think about it. Let the idea wade through your cranium and think what benefit might come from saying yes. If the benefit can be monetized, then plunge ahead. If there is another tangible benefit--like networking, reputation building, future business--then proceed.
If there is no perceived benefit, you've at least given it some consideration. Follow up with the other party and politely decline. This act in and of itself will help build relationships.
But your best bet is to find a way to "yes." The more you can get to "yes," the more relationships you will build. The more relationships you build, the deeper and wider your pool of prospects.
Today's economy requires creativity. "No" lacks vision and creativity. Embrace "yes" and your customers will embrace you.
Those of us that suffer from the Big Mouth Syndrome have a hard time saying "no" to things. It seems that our big mouth frequently volunteers for things that we don't necessarily think through. A potentially dangerous situation, but one that I actually encourage.
Why? Because saying "yes" whenever you can is a terrific way to build relationships. Relationships, as noted previously, are the lifeblood of a small business. Cultivating relationships is the primary factor between long term success and failure.
Big Mouth Syndrome is most contagious with start up companies who are just getting some footing. But the syndrome is equally powerful when seeking new business or when navigating periods of unpredictable revenues.
Say "yes" whenever possible. If "yes" is not possible, tell the other party that you will think about it. Let the idea wade through your cranium and think what benefit might come from saying yes. If the benefit can be monetized, then plunge ahead. If there is another tangible benefit--like networking, reputation building, future business--then proceed.
If there is no perceived benefit, you've at least given it some consideration. Follow up with the other party and politely decline. This act in and of itself will help build relationships.
But your best bet is to find a way to "yes." The more you can get to "yes," the more relationships you will build. The more relationships you build, the deeper and wider your pool of prospects.
Today's economy requires creativity. "No" lacks vision and creativity. Embrace "yes" and your customers will embrace you.
My Tribute to Michael Jackson
I once wanted to be Michael Jackson. It was third grade, Thriller had just been released and I wore penny loafers with white socks to school. It is thus with great sadness that in today's post, I pay tribute to the King of Pop.
While much will be lamented over his music and his art, I hope to laud his marketing (surprised?).
By most accounts, Michael Jackson was either apathetic and aloof with regard to his business matters or he was an exceptionally shrewd businessman. There was little in between. Jackson faced any number of lawsuits for both personal and professional reasons. Most cases boiled down to the debate between ignorance and intellect.
Time will tell in the long run. His legacy will be the ultimate measure of his impact.
However, one point is difficult to debate: Michael Jackson created tremendous value.
The role of a business, as is well-documented, is to get and keep customers. And how do you do that? By creating value. Value is what generates followers, customers and revenue.
Michael Jackson was a value-creating machine. His voice, his music, his moves, his style and his art generated throngs of followers.
If the true measure of a business is how much value is created, MJ was the tops. Sure there was tremendous controversy, but what genius achieves 100% acceptance?
From a very young age--5 if you believe the record-label marketers, 8 if you believe the biographies--Michael has been a very public figure. Michael learned how to manipulate the media, how to draw attention to himself and how to stay top of mind for a very long time.
Michael, your presence will be sorely missed on this planet. But know that we thank you deeply for the value you created and we will do our best to play your music for generations.
While much will be lamented over his music and his art, I hope to laud his marketing (surprised?).
By most accounts, Michael Jackson was either apathetic and aloof with regard to his business matters or he was an exceptionally shrewd businessman. There was little in between. Jackson faced any number of lawsuits for both personal and professional reasons. Most cases boiled down to the debate between ignorance and intellect.
Time will tell in the long run. His legacy will be the ultimate measure of his impact.
However, one point is difficult to debate: Michael Jackson created tremendous value.
The role of a business, as is well-documented, is to get and keep customers. And how do you do that? By creating value. Value is what generates followers, customers and revenue.
Michael Jackson was a value-creating machine. His voice, his music, his moves, his style and his art generated throngs of followers.
If the true measure of a business is how much value is created, MJ was the tops. Sure there was tremendous controversy, but what genius achieves 100% acceptance?
From a very young age--5 if you believe the record-label marketers, 8 if you believe the biographies--Michael has been a very public figure. Michael learned how to manipulate the media, how to draw attention to himself and how to stay top of mind for a very long time.
Michael, your presence will be sorely missed on this planet. But know that we thank you deeply for the value you created and we will do our best to play your music for generations.
Increase Your Referrals X 5 More
So you’ve already multiplied the number of referrals you get by five from my previous post, right? Perfect. Here are five more ways to increase your referrals:
1) Be Nice: simple enough. Without getting too metaphysical, understand that business works in karmic circles just like life. Nice guys don’t finish last when it comes to referral generation.
2) Give Referrals: being nice might not be good enough. You also have to give to receive. The more referrals you give, the more you will get. Networking groups like BNI and Le Tip have successfully leveraged this concept for decades. When you give a referral, something special happens. Not only do you look good, but the recipient of the referral will undoubtedly look for opportunities to return the favor.
3) Join and Participate in Local Organizations: this strategy is part of my recommendation to connect locally. Notice that I say “join and participate.” Joining isn’t enough. You must participate as well to generate referrals. Plug into your local Chamber of Commerce, Leads Groups, Associations and more. And don’t sit on the sidelines…get in there and play!
4) Create an Affiliate Program: generally conducted on-line to leverage technology, affiliate programs are an excellent source of referrals. Essentially you are paying commission-only salespeople to find customers for you. They post links to your website on their blog, website or emails. If a customer clicks through an affiliate link and purchases something on your site, the affiliate receives a percentage of the sale. Amazon has built a significant portion of their overall business with affiliates. This type of program can be done on a small or a large scale. Check out Commission Junction for more information.
5) Be Unique: if you are one of a kind, customers will find you. If you are unique, special and different there is nowhere else to turn. Since customers will not be able to find your product or service anywhere else, people will refer business your way easily and often.
Chew on these ideas for a bit. Generating referrals is not a daunting task, but it can be if you want to do all things all at once. Pick one or two ideas from today’s post or the previous post and focus on that intently. Master that, then tackle the next.
Even by mastering one, you will see your business move to the next level.
1) Be Nice: simple enough. Without getting too metaphysical, understand that business works in karmic circles just like life. Nice guys don’t finish last when it comes to referral generation.
2) Give Referrals: being nice might not be good enough. You also have to give to receive. The more referrals you give, the more you will get. Networking groups like BNI and Le Tip have successfully leveraged this concept for decades. When you give a referral, something special happens. Not only do you look good, but the recipient of the referral will undoubtedly look for opportunities to return the favor.
3) Join and Participate in Local Organizations: this strategy is part of my recommendation to connect locally. Notice that I say “join and participate.” Joining isn’t enough. You must participate as well to generate referrals. Plug into your local Chamber of Commerce, Leads Groups, Associations and more. And don’t sit on the sidelines…get in there and play!
4) Create an Affiliate Program: generally conducted on-line to leverage technology, affiliate programs are an excellent source of referrals. Essentially you are paying commission-only salespeople to find customers for you. They post links to your website on their blog, website or emails. If a customer clicks through an affiliate link and purchases something on your site, the affiliate receives a percentage of the sale. Amazon has built a significant portion of their overall business with affiliates. This type of program can be done on a small or a large scale. Check out Commission Junction for more information.
5) Be Unique: if you are one of a kind, customers will find you. If you are unique, special and different there is nowhere else to turn. Since customers will not be able to find your product or service anywhere else, people will refer business your way easily and often.
Chew on these ideas for a bit. Generating referrals is not a daunting task, but it can be if you want to do all things all at once. Pick one or two ideas from today’s post or the previous post and focus on that intently. Master that, then tackle the next.
Even by mastering one, you will see your business move to the next level.
Never Tell Anyone What You Do
You know you've been there: you're surrounded by a handful of strangers, everyone has a drink or a small plate of hors d'oeuvres in their hands and the conversation goes stale. Someone meekly offers a comment about the weather or the local sports team, but there is not much else to talk about. Except: work.
“What do you do?” is generally the third or fourth question out of a person’s mouth upon a first encounter. It’s hard to avoid. Work occupies so much of our time, we are well-versed in the subject and we generally enjoy talking about things we know. It’s at this point that successful business owners turn new friends into customers.
How do they do it? There is no one simple answer. Generating new business person-to-person takes a balance of confidence and humility. That said, here are three steps to turn your cocktail party conversation into sales:
1) Never Tell Anyone What You Do: Wait a second, isn’t that counter to all marketing? Keep your work a secret? I work with a lot of self-employed business owners with no employees (aka “solopreneurs”). These people represent their business in its entirety. If they don’t tell people what they do, how will people find out? Good question, but the answer and the sales strategy encompasses more humility than self-importance. How many times have you been turned off by someone blabbing about what they do? It might be the easiest way to kill a sale.
Consider a situation in which you are introduced to someone new. In the right circumstances, the introducer might refer to your profession. They might even mention how great you are. Easy sale. This direct word-of-mouth is very powerful.
Or consider a situation in which you meet someone without an introduction. If you are able to focus the conversation on something other than your profession, the new friend will walk away thinking how insightful, deep and conversational you are. Next time you come across that person, the relationship is established. We all know people buy relationships, so once again, easy sale.
Now, when people ask you what you do, be prepared to deliver your pitch (see #3). Despite the catchy word “never”, don’t avoid telling people what you do. Just make sure the opportunity presents itself without you forcing it and you need to be prepared to answer.
2) Always Ask What Others Do: Instead of focusing on what you do, focus on what the other person does. Given the chance to talk about oneself, the other person will feel energized and confident. They will enjoy talking with you. Once the conversation turns and they ask you what you do, you will have an open ear and a willing listener. You’ve already created a new friend simply by listening and this person will genuinely listen to you. And when you have an active listener, they will remember you and your brand. Your business card will go in the rolodex, and not the trash.
Another bonus to listening to others speak about what they do is that it gives you the opportunity to see if your business can help them. If you do find someone that could use your product/service, ask pointed questions to identify their needs on the job. This is an extremely easy sale.
3) Refine Your Elevator Pitch: You will get asked “what do you do?” After all, even if you never tell anyone what you do, you cannot avoid the question. So if you don’t have a polished pitch, then get polishing. You must be able to concisely and succinctly communicate what you do or else your product/service will never resonate. Play around with some different pitches. Practice them often. Your pitch may evolve, but keep it as consistent as possible. Marketing is mostly repetition, so the more often you can say your message the more it will impact your audience. Focus your pitch on benefits. You should be able to communicate what you do and the benefit you provide in one or two sentences. This will take some time, but it really is the key to more sales.
Ultimately, if you have established a relationship with someone by following Steps 1 and 2, and you can easily communicate the benefit you provide outlined in Step 3, the sales will build. Your cocktail parties will turn into marketing events, networking will become fruitful and you will turn new friends into customers very easily.
“What do you do?” is generally the third or fourth question out of a person’s mouth upon a first encounter. It’s hard to avoid. Work occupies so much of our time, we are well-versed in the subject and we generally enjoy talking about things we know. It’s at this point that successful business owners turn new friends into customers.
How do they do it? There is no one simple answer. Generating new business person-to-person takes a balance of confidence and humility. That said, here are three steps to turn your cocktail party conversation into sales:
1) Never Tell Anyone What You Do: Wait a second, isn’t that counter to all marketing? Keep your work a secret? I work with a lot of self-employed business owners with no employees (aka “solopreneurs”). These people represent their business in its entirety. If they don’t tell people what they do, how will people find out? Good question, but the answer and the sales strategy encompasses more humility than self-importance. How many times have you been turned off by someone blabbing about what they do? It might be the easiest way to kill a sale.
Consider a situation in which you are introduced to someone new. In the right circumstances, the introducer might refer to your profession. They might even mention how great you are. Easy sale. This direct word-of-mouth is very powerful.
Or consider a situation in which you meet someone without an introduction. If you are able to focus the conversation on something other than your profession, the new friend will walk away thinking how insightful, deep and conversational you are. Next time you come across that person, the relationship is established. We all know people buy relationships, so once again, easy sale.
Now, when people ask you what you do, be prepared to deliver your pitch (see #3). Despite the catchy word “never”, don’t avoid telling people what you do. Just make sure the opportunity presents itself without you forcing it and you need to be prepared to answer.
2) Always Ask What Others Do: Instead of focusing on what you do, focus on what the other person does. Given the chance to talk about oneself, the other person will feel energized and confident. They will enjoy talking with you. Once the conversation turns and they ask you what you do, you will have an open ear and a willing listener. You’ve already created a new friend simply by listening and this person will genuinely listen to you. And when you have an active listener, they will remember you and your brand. Your business card will go in the rolodex, and not the trash.
Another bonus to listening to others speak about what they do is that it gives you the opportunity to see if your business can help them. If you do find someone that could use your product/service, ask pointed questions to identify their needs on the job. This is an extremely easy sale.
3) Refine Your Elevator Pitch: You will get asked “what do you do?” After all, even if you never tell anyone what you do, you cannot avoid the question. So if you don’t have a polished pitch, then get polishing. You must be able to concisely and succinctly communicate what you do or else your product/service will never resonate. Play around with some different pitches. Practice them often. Your pitch may evolve, but keep it as consistent as possible. Marketing is mostly repetition, so the more often you can say your message the more it will impact your audience. Focus your pitch on benefits. You should be able to communicate what you do and the benefit you provide in one or two sentences. This will take some time, but it really is the key to more sales.
Ultimately, if you have established a relationship with someone by following Steps 1 and 2, and you can easily communicate the benefit you provide outlined in Step 3, the sales will build. Your cocktail parties will turn into marketing events, networking will become fruitful and you will turn new friends into customers very easily.
Marketing: Both Art and Science
Marketing is truly unique in that it is both art and science. Very few professional disciplines can make this same claim.
Most business disciplines rely primarily on science. Accounting and Finance are mostly numbers. Successful Operations relies on the application of math and science. There is some artwork to Human Resources, but it is mostly the application of the science of human interaction. Even Strategy is something that is planned only after significant data crunching and investigation.
Outside of the business world, it seems that most professional disciplines are either art or science, but not both. Musicians, painters, performers and other artists understandably lean mostly upon art. Politicians, lawyers and civic officials are wise to use math and science, but their artistry is in relationships and negotiations. Medical professionals and researchers depend heavily on science for obvious reasons. Teachers might be the closest thing to marketers in that they must balance both art and science, but even the best teachers are communication artists.
But marketers? Marketers straddle the line between art and science. On one hand, a marketer must understand that s/he must create a new, unique and powerful message or image that will cut through the clutter of everyday life. This requires great artistry and great feel. Not everyone can create a “Purple Cow” as Seth Godin coined.
On the other hand, a marketer must grasp the math behind marketing. It is mostly a numbers game in that the more messages you broadcast, the more brand awareness you create. This number can be better understood when campaigns are measured, scientific principles are applied and decisions are made based on data. Without science, even the most artistic marketing campaign will not pervade the marketplace.
So make sure that your marketing is both art and science. Create messages and images that are appealing from an artistic perspective. Test those messages and images with scientific data gathering. Science can tell you a lot about the art and vice versa. Future decisions can then be made based on both numbers and feel. If a marketer has both data and instincts, success is not far.
In all, marketing genius is not so unique if the right balance is found between art and science. While not easy, it is very possible for both small and big businesses.
Most business disciplines rely primarily on science. Accounting and Finance are mostly numbers. Successful Operations relies on the application of math and science. There is some artwork to Human Resources, but it is mostly the application of the science of human interaction. Even Strategy is something that is planned only after significant data crunching and investigation.
Outside of the business world, it seems that most professional disciplines are either art or science, but not both. Musicians, painters, performers and other artists understandably lean mostly upon art. Politicians, lawyers and civic officials are wise to use math and science, but their artistry is in relationships and negotiations. Medical professionals and researchers depend heavily on science for obvious reasons. Teachers might be the closest thing to marketers in that they must balance both art and science, but even the best teachers are communication artists.
But marketers? Marketers straddle the line between art and science. On one hand, a marketer must understand that s/he must create a new, unique and powerful message or image that will cut through the clutter of everyday life. This requires great artistry and great feel. Not everyone can create a “Purple Cow” as Seth Godin coined.
On the other hand, a marketer must grasp the math behind marketing. It is mostly a numbers game in that the more messages you broadcast, the more brand awareness you create. This number can be better understood when campaigns are measured, scientific principles are applied and decisions are made based on data. Without science, even the most artistic marketing campaign will not pervade the marketplace.
So make sure that your marketing is both art and science. Create messages and images that are appealing from an artistic perspective. Test those messages and images with scientific data gathering. Science can tell you a lot about the art and vice versa. Future decisions can then be made based on both numbers and feel. If a marketer has both data and instincts, success is not far.
In all, marketing genius is not so unique if the right balance is found between art and science. While not easy, it is very possible for both small and big businesses.
Successful E-Newsletter Formats
Successful e-newsletters urge readers to do three things: 1) open the e-newsletter, 2) read it and 3) act upon it. This was my conclusion in a previous post about e-newsletter content. But format, in many respects, is just as important as content. Format brands your message and creates a bond with the reader. It provides a platform to communicate value and offer your products and services.
To ensure that you consistently brand your e-newsletter and communicate maximum value, ensure that your e-newsletter format accomplishes these three things:
1) Consistency: readers don’t want to play guessing games. Select a format and stick with it. You can update your format as you find what works, but don’t deviate too far from one consistent format. If you decide to change your format, let your readers now. This can be an additional marketing touch point that won’t seem intrusive.
2) Easy-to-Follow: let the reader skim content quickly. Use headlines, bullet points and bold text to highlight key points. These call outs should be simple and highly visible as they contain your key communication points. Stick to three or maybe four sections in total. Your e-newsletter can be lengthy if you continue to provide valuable content, but break it up into a few sections to make it easy-to-follow.
3) Seamless Click-thrus: your e-newsletter should provide a platform for readers to find out more. Reference websites and links within the format and content of your website, but double check to make sure that all references seamlessly link to the intended websites. This sounds obvious, but I've seen too many e-newsletters that frustrate readers with links to nonexistent sites. Ideally, you want readers to spend more time on your site, so think where people would go from one link to another and where you want to drive them.
Ultimately an e-newsletter must both inform and sell. Content should communicate value and the format should build a relationship with readers. There are several reasons why you need an e-newsletter to market your business. Among other things, they are an economical way to market your products and services and they should be a part of your marketing plan.
To ensure that you consistently brand your e-newsletter and communicate maximum value, ensure that your e-newsletter format accomplishes these three things:
1) Consistency: readers don’t want to play guessing games. Select a format and stick with it. You can update your format as you find what works, but don’t deviate too far from one consistent format. If you decide to change your format, let your readers now. This can be an additional marketing touch point that won’t seem intrusive.
2) Easy-to-Follow: let the reader skim content quickly. Use headlines, bullet points and bold text to highlight key points. These call outs should be simple and highly visible as they contain your key communication points. Stick to three or maybe four sections in total. Your e-newsletter can be lengthy if you continue to provide valuable content, but break it up into a few sections to make it easy-to-follow.
3) Seamless Click-thrus: your e-newsletter should provide a platform for readers to find out more. Reference websites and links within the format and content of your website, but double check to make sure that all references seamlessly link to the intended websites. This sounds obvious, but I've seen too many e-newsletters that frustrate readers with links to nonexistent sites. Ideally, you want readers to spend more time on your site, so think where people would go from one link to another and where you want to drive them.
Ultimately an e-newsletter must both inform and sell. Content should communicate value and the format should build a relationship with readers. There are several reasons why you need an e-newsletter to market your business. Among other things, they are an economical way to market your products and services and they should be a part of your marketing plan.
How to Connect Locally
Successful businesses invest in their communities. This is true of both big and small businesses. The more a business can give to a community, the more the community will give to the business.
This relationship plays most true with respect to word-of-mouth. Locals can often be the best (or worst!) form of business advertising: it’s both cheap and powerful. Today’s post, therefore, is about leveraging the most you can out of local connections. As you will see, a business can achieve excellent marketing ROI with some inexpensive yet important local initiatives.
Before jumping into how to get the most out of your local community, please note that some small business models do not rely on local contacts, connections and customers. That said, even the most virtual business models can still gain from keeping close ties with the local community. Locals can serve on focus groups, help you advertise, or even become clients in an ideal world. This makes local connections important for any business.
So whether or not your business relies on local traffic, here are three ways to get the most out of your local connections:
1) Dialogue with Your Customers: Simply listening to your customer can go a long way. Many business owners cringe when one of their customers says, “You know what you should do…” Sure, everyone has an opinion and few know exactly how to run your business, but listening is more than just hearing new ideas. Listening allows a business owner to plug into the community. Listening enables a business owner to really tap into needs. Most importantly, listening allows the customer to feel comfortable. A comfortable customer is a happy customer and a happy customer returns with friends.
2) Partner with your customers: Businesses that succeed are able to partner with their customers. Partnerships can take on many forms. A rewards program, for example, is essentially a partnership program. If you can give your best customers something in return, they are more like partners and less like customers. Another successful partnership platform is to let the customers drive more of their experience. At Southwest, customers make their own reservations, check in on their own and manage their own accounts. Southwest saves on labor but more important, the customers are more engaged since they are, in effect, employees or partners.
Another way to make partnerships successful is to simply ask for it. Take your best customers and ask them to partner with you on your marketing. Get them to provide testimonials (very powerful) which you can then use on your marketing collateral. Even better, have them post reviews online on popular sites like Yelp or Citysearch. These online recommendations pop up in search engines and are extremely effective. Or get your best advocates to create a video and post it on You Tube. However, you sould be careful with this approach: choose only the best customers that you know would represent and communicate your brand just as you would wish.
3) Give to Local Associations: Notice I did not say “join” local associations. I frequently hear from clients “I no longer am a member of the local Chamber because I didn’t get any business out of it.” My first response to this statement is always, “Well, what did you give?” They invariable say “not much.” Simply joining a Chamber of Commerce or another local business association will not bring more business to you. To leverage the local contacts, you need to GIVE to those associations. Serve on the membership committee, sign up to host an event, write an article for their publication and generally do more than just attend. Attendance is not even half the battle. For maximum effectiveness, it’s all about participation.
Connect locally, even if your business is not completely reliant on local traffic. Develop local relationships and your marketing will succeed.
This relationship plays most true with respect to word-of-mouth. Locals can often be the best (or worst!) form of business advertising: it’s both cheap and powerful. Today’s post, therefore, is about leveraging the most you can out of local connections. As you will see, a business can achieve excellent marketing ROI with some inexpensive yet important local initiatives.
Before jumping into how to get the most out of your local community, please note that some small business models do not rely on local contacts, connections and customers. That said, even the most virtual business models can still gain from keeping close ties with the local community. Locals can serve on focus groups, help you advertise, or even become clients in an ideal world. This makes local connections important for any business.
So whether or not your business relies on local traffic, here are three ways to get the most out of your local connections:
1) Dialogue with Your Customers: Simply listening to your customer can go a long way. Many business owners cringe when one of their customers says, “You know what you should do…” Sure, everyone has an opinion and few know exactly how to run your business, but listening is more than just hearing new ideas. Listening allows a business owner to plug into the community. Listening enables a business owner to really tap into needs. Most importantly, listening allows the customer to feel comfortable. A comfortable customer is a happy customer and a happy customer returns with friends.
2) Partner with your customers: Businesses that succeed are able to partner with their customers. Partnerships can take on many forms. A rewards program, for example, is essentially a partnership program. If you can give your best customers something in return, they are more like partners and less like customers. Another successful partnership platform is to let the customers drive more of their experience. At Southwest, customers make their own reservations, check in on their own and manage their own accounts. Southwest saves on labor but more important, the customers are more engaged since they are, in effect, employees or partners.
Another way to make partnerships successful is to simply ask for it. Take your best customers and ask them to partner with you on your marketing. Get them to provide testimonials (very powerful) which you can then use on your marketing collateral. Even better, have them post reviews online on popular sites like Yelp or Citysearch. These online recommendations pop up in search engines and are extremely effective. Or get your best advocates to create a video and post it on You Tube. However, you sould be careful with this approach: choose only the best customers that you know would represent and communicate your brand just as you would wish.
3) Give to Local Associations: Notice I did not say “join” local associations. I frequently hear from clients “I no longer am a member of the local Chamber because I didn’t get any business out of it.” My first response to this statement is always, “Well, what did you give?” They invariable say “not much.” Simply joining a Chamber of Commerce or another local business association will not bring more business to you. To leverage the local contacts, you need to GIVE to those associations. Serve on the membership committee, sign up to host an event, write an article for their publication and generally do more than just attend. Attendance is not even half the battle. For maximum effectiveness, it’s all about participation.
Connect locally, even if your business is not completely reliant on local traffic. Develop local relationships and your marketing will succeed.
Fill Your Sales Funnel With No Advertising
Many service professionals will remind you that “a referral is the highest compliment you can give me.” The reason this statement has become clichéd is that it heads the nail on the head. A business truly reaches success when its customers convert into advocates. Word-of-mouth is not only the least expensive form of advertising, it is also the most powerful.
In fact, the end goal to any marketing initiative should always be to get people talking about your product or service. There is no finish line to marketing; it’s a dynamic entity that continuously evolves. A marketer must test and learn to keep abreast of the changes and keep the product or service top-of-mind.
However, there is a finish line to advertising. The aim of advertising is to reach the point at which a business no longer needs to invest in advertising. At this point, customers become the marketers. No more expensive ads, campaigns or initiatives. Assuming the business can sustain the level of service that its customers promote, word-of-mouth now takes the driver’s seat and the road is wide open.
Here are five ways to ensure that word-of-mouth takes over your marketing:
1) Exceed Customer Expectations: you’ve probably heard this before. I certainly hope so. Customer service is by far the most effective and efficient marketing there is. Clients that are truly wowed will talk about it and others will want to share their experience.
2) Brand Yourself Consistently: the more people hear and see your consistent message, the more it will stick. If you’re message resonates well, and you back up your message with consistent service, word will spread.
3) Engage Your Customers: think long term for your customers, not just a quick sale. Engage them in your product or service. At a personal level, host special events for customers. Get customer input as to what type of customer appreciation they would enjoy. Imagine a customer appreciation event that the customers plan themselves! This same principle applies to non-personal interactions. Use your website or a blog to converse and share with customers on-line. Even your brochure should engage the customers. The longer a customer stays with you, the more they will buy.
4) Become an Expert: if you are the expert in a certain area, word will spread and your sales funnel will fill automatically.
5) Incent Your Customers: this is a short cut to word-of-mouth that many businesses pursue successfully. Consider referral programs or affiliate programs. This will require some investment because cash—either via refunds or direct payments—is the strongest motivator. However, there are programs or other ways to get your customers to refer business to you. Get creative, but find an easily implemented program that does not require significant maintenance. The simpler, the better.
The end goal of your advertising should be to create positive word-of-mouth. Your marketing efforts, no doubt, will continue to reinforce this. While marketing has no end, advertising certainly does. Imagine a world where word-of-mouth drives your marketing, and you sit along for the ride as customer after customer effortlessly fill into your sales funnel.
In fact, the end goal to any marketing initiative should always be to get people talking about your product or service. There is no finish line to marketing; it’s a dynamic entity that continuously evolves. A marketer must test and learn to keep abreast of the changes and keep the product or service top-of-mind.
However, there is a finish line to advertising. The aim of advertising is to reach the point at which a business no longer needs to invest in advertising. At this point, customers become the marketers. No more expensive ads, campaigns or initiatives. Assuming the business can sustain the level of service that its customers promote, word-of-mouth now takes the driver’s seat and the road is wide open.
Here are five ways to ensure that word-of-mouth takes over your marketing:
1) Exceed Customer Expectations: you’ve probably heard this before. I certainly hope so. Customer service is by far the most effective and efficient marketing there is. Clients that are truly wowed will talk about it and others will want to share their experience.
2) Brand Yourself Consistently: the more people hear and see your consistent message, the more it will stick. If you’re message resonates well, and you back up your message with consistent service, word will spread.
3) Engage Your Customers: think long term for your customers, not just a quick sale. Engage them in your product or service. At a personal level, host special events for customers. Get customer input as to what type of customer appreciation they would enjoy. Imagine a customer appreciation event that the customers plan themselves! This same principle applies to non-personal interactions. Use your website or a blog to converse and share with customers on-line. Even your brochure should engage the customers. The longer a customer stays with you, the more they will buy.
4) Become an Expert: if you are the expert in a certain area, word will spread and your sales funnel will fill automatically.
5) Incent Your Customers: this is a short cut to word-of-mouth that many businesses pursue successfully. Consider referral programs or affiliate programs. This will require some investment because cash—either via refunds or direct payments—is the strongest motivator. However, there are programs or other ways to get your customers to refer business to you. Get creative, but find an easily implemented program that does not require significant maintenance. The simpler, the better.
The end goal of your advertising should be to create positive word-of-mouth. Your marketing efforts, no doubt, will continue to reinforce this. While marketing has no end, advertising certainly does. Imagine a world where word-of-mouth drives your marketing, and you sit along for the ride as customer after customer effortlessly fill into your sales funnel.
5 Reasons You Need an E-Newsletter
There are a lot of reasons why an e-newsletter is a great marketing tool. First and foremost, your business must have an electronic presence. E-marketing is another marketing channel that absolutely and positively must be a part of your marketing plan. There are many platforms of e-marketing including websites, social networking, referral links or programs, affiliate programs, e-mails and of course e-newsletters. All of these platforms can and should be part of your plan and deserve the requisite attention to understand how and why they can be so powerful. However, today I intend to detail e-newsletters. We’ll save the other e-platforms for another time.
To understand what I mean by “e-newsletter” let’s address what is NOT an e-newsletter. An e-newsletter is not a one-time e-mail blast. It is not a sales pitch. And most importantly, it is not spam. When I refer to e-newsletter I mean something with valuable content that is distributed via a professional service, like Aweber (http://boost.aweber.com). You can certainly do an e-newsletter on your own, but a professional service provides templates, anti-spamming functionality, tracking and monitoring that you might not normally get if you do it on your own. So with this understanding of an e-newsletter, here are five reasons you need an e-newsletter:
1) COST: e-newsletters, at most, cost about $20/month. This number can vary depending on the service and depending on the number of e-mails in your database. However, most services do not limit the number of blasts that you can make. A lot of businesses will send out e-newsletters once a week (like mine). If you start doing the math, $20/month for 4 e-newsletters for hundreds of people each blast makes the cost-per-contact extremely reasonable.
2) INCREASE YOUR TOUCHPOINTS: marketing is more about repetition than anything else. E-newsletters give you another marketing touchpoint to remain top-of-mind for your database. Assuming you can provide valuable content with each blast, your database will open the e-mails and understand that you offer a great product or service. Your name and brand will remain fresh and “sticky” (as in the brand or name will “stick” with the recipients). This way, when the recipient is ready to buy, they will think of you. Similarly, recipients will also know your name and brand to refer to others.
3) EASY REFERRALS: picking up from point #2, e-newsletters make referrals very easy. How difficult is it to forward an e-newsletter to someone else? Think of it this way: let’s imagine one of your contacts comes across a friend that could use your service. They say to their friend, “let me find his or her business card, I know I have it somewhere.” Chances are, the business card is lost or hard to find or perhaps it takes a while to get the information gathered. However, with an e-newsletter, the referral is very easy. That same contact can say “let me forward you his or her e-newsletter.” Not only is the information transferred very easily, the new contact can view the value you provide. This is much more powerful than a business card exchange.
4) LEVERAGE OTHER E-MARKETING: with an e-newsletter, you can add links to your website, blog, partner websites, affiliates and anything else available on the web. Recipients that open your e-newsletter can easily link to the products or services that you recommend. This becomes vastly beneficial if you are an affiliate of another program. You can add a link to the other program that your recipients will be sure to see and most likely click through if there is value.
5) TRACKING: assuming you use a professional service for your e-newsletter like Aweber, you can track and measure your campaigns. You can see the open rate (percentage of recipients that open your email), click rate (percentage of recipients that open and click through to a link on your e-newsletter) and unsubscribe rates (percentage of people who request to unsubscribe). You can even set up tests. For example, let’s say you want to test a marketing message. Send 50% of your database your e-newsletter with one marketing message in the subject line and send the other 50% that same e-newsletter with a different marketing message in the subject line. See which e-newsletter had a greater open rate and you’ll understand which marketing message is more powerful.
This is just the tip of the iceberg for e-marketing. If you don’t have an e-newsletter yet, consider the reasons above and check out Aweber (http://boost.aweber.com) or another provider. You’ll see there is tremendous benefit to an e-newsletter for little cost.
To understand what I mean by “e-newsletter” let’s address what is NOT an e-newsletter. An e-newsletter is not a one-time e-mail blast. It is not a sales pitch. And most importantly, it is not spam. When I refer to e-newsletter I mean something with valuable content that is distributed via a professional service, like Aweber (http://boost.aweber.com). You can certainly do an e-newsletter on your own, but a professional service provides templates, anti-spamming functionality, tracking and monitoring that you might not normally get if you do it on your own. So with this understanding of an e-newsletter, here are five reasons you need an e-newsletter:
1) COST: e-newsletters, at most, cost about $20/month. This number can vary depending on the service and depending on the number of e-mails in your database. However, most services do not limit the number of blasts that you can make. A lot of businesses will send out e-newsletters once a week (like mine). If you start doing the math, $20/month for 4 e-newsletters for hundreds of people each blast makes the cost-per-contact extremely reasonable.
2) INCREASE YOUR TOUCHPOINTS: marketing is more about repetition than anything else. E-newsletters give you another marketing touchpoint to remain top-of-mind for your database. Assuming you can provide valuable content with each blast, your database will open the e-mails and understand that you offer a great product or service. Your name and brand will remain fresh and “sticky” (as in the brand or name will “stick” with the recipients). This way, when the recipient is ready to buy, they will think of you. Similarly, recipients will also know your name and brand to refer to others.
3) EASY REFERRALS: picking up from point #2, e-newsletters make referrals very easy. How difficult is it to forward an e-newsletter to someone else? Think of it this way: let’s imagine one of your contacts comes across a friend that could use your service. They say to their friend, “let me find his or her business card, I know I have it somewhere.” Chances are, the business card is lost or hard to find or perhaps it takes a while to get the information gathered. However, with an e-newsletter, the referral is very easy. That same contact can say “let me forward you his or her e-newsletter.” Not only is the information transferred very easily, the new contact can view the value you provide. This is much more powerful than a business card exchange.
4) LEVERAGE OTHER E-MARKETING: with an e-newsletter, you can add links to your website, blog, partner websites, affiliates and anything else available on the web. Recipients that open your e-newsletter can easily link to the products or services that you recommend. This becomes vastly beneficial if you are an affiliate of another program. You can add a link to the other program that your recipients will be sure to see and most likely click through if there is value.
5) TRACKING: assuming you use a professional service for your e-newsletter like Aweber, you can track and measure your campaigns. You can see the open rate (percentage of recipients that open your email), click rate (percentage of recipients that open and click through to a link on your e-newsletter) and unsubscribe rates (percentage of people who request to unsubscribe). You can even set up tests. For example, let’s say you want to test a marketing message. Send 50% of your database your e-newsletter with one marketing message in the subject line and send the other 50% that same e-newsletter with a different marketing message in the subject line. See which e-newsletter had a greater open rate and you’ll understand which marketing message is more powerful.
This is just the tip of the iceberg for e-marketing. If you don’t have an e-newsletter yet, consider the reasons above and check out Aweber (http://boost.aweber.com) or another provider. You’ll see there is tremendous benefit to an e-newsletter for little cost.
4 Ways to Prove You're an Expert
Now is the time to prove you are an expert at what you do. Positioning yourself as an expert is the key to building sales. Experts rarely struggle to generate business even in tough economic times.
So how do you position yourself as an expert? How do you establish the type of credibility that people seek?
The time-tested approach is through education. Many folks in today’s market are turning to education as a means to become an expert in a certain area. An investment in education, particularly during a down swing in the economy, is an excellent option.
However, not everyone can afford education. Going back to school is a serious commitment and certification programs can be very expensive. Let’s face it: few people have the time and the funds required to pursue education.
So if you don’t have the time or the money to get more certifications, what can you do? Here are four ways to build your own credibility and position yourself as an expert:
• Give Presentations: partner with local business associations, leads groups or networking groups and offer your services as a presenter. If you can deliver a polished presentation, your credibility will soar.
• Write a Blog: get your thoughts out into cyberspace. Show the world what you know. People can tune in to see your expertise. But writing is only half the battle for blogging; you must also generate traffic to your blog so people can actually see you. Market your blog to your database, put a link on your email signature or your business card and get the word out.
• Publish Articles: there are lots of ways to get your articles published on-line and in print. If your business targets locals, work with local publications to see if you can provide some content. Note: newspapers are just one avenue; there are a lot of local publications. If your business targets beyond the local community, look to on-line publications that serve your market.
• Make a Video: technology is very inexpensive. For a minimal investment, you can create a video promoting your expertise. Post this video on YouTube and send your database the link. You can also post this video on your website. The video can really build credibility.
These are just some ways to build credibility and position yourself as an expert. Certifications, degrees, titles and credentials are powerful but require time and money. Presentations, blogs, articles and videos require time to do as well, but the cost is minimal.
Position yourself as an expert and watch your business soar.
So how do you position yourself as an expert? How do you establish the type of credibility that people seek?
The time-tested approach is through education. Many folks in today’s market are turning to education as a means to become an expert in a certain area. An investment in education, particularly during a down swing in the economy, is an excellent option.
However, not everyone can afford education. Going back to school is a serious commitment and certification programs can be very expensive. Let’s face it: few people have the time and the funds required to pursue education.
So if you don’t have the time or the money to get more certifications, what can you do? Here are four ways to build your own credibility and position yourself as an expert:
• Give Presentations: partner with local business associations, leads groups or networking groups and offer your services as a presenter. If you can deliver a polished presentation, your credibility will soar.
• Write a Blog: get your thoughts out into cyberspace. Show the world what you know. People can tune in to see your expertise. But writing is only half the battle for blogging; you must also generate traffic to your blog so people can actually see you. Market your blog to your database, put a link on your email signature or your business card and get the word out.
• Publish Articles: there are lots of ways to get your articles published on-line and in print. If your business targets locals, work with local publications to see if you can provide some content. Note: newspapers are just one avenue; there are a lot of local publications. If your business targets beyond the local community, look to on-line publications that serve your market.
• Make a Video: technology is very inexpensive. For a minimal investment, you can create a video promoting your expertise. Post this video on YouTube and send your database the link. You can also post this video on your website. The video can really build credibility.
These are just some ways to build credibility and position yourself as an expert. Certifications, degrees, titles and credentials are powerful but require time and money. Presentations, blogs, articles and videos require time to do as well, but the cost is minimal.
Position yourself as an expert and watch your business soar.
Harness the Power of Testimonials
I would argue that the most powerful message a marketer can communicate is a testimonial. Try this on for size:
"When we worked for the first time with 'Move Your Business to the Next Level' it became clear very fast that Brooke knew more than we did about marketing and he helped us identify a direction that created an efficiency in who we would market towards. The process allowed us to achieve our calendar scheduled goals and do it with an understanding that helped us understand more about who we were and where our strengths lay as an organization. Thanks Brooke!"
Or how about this one:
"Brooke Higgins has been a key factor in taking my business to the next level. I can
honestly say that without Brooke’s guidance and support, I would not be where I am today. Brooke has the business skills and vision to see what needs to be done and the communication skills to convey important information to his clients. He has superior knowledge of all business areas, especially the marketing aspects. Most importantly Brooke has a keen insight to help develop the potential in people. He has helped me to focus my efforts where they are most needed, and set me on a course for success. If you are looking to make some real changes and take your business to the next level, then I highly recommend that you work with Brooke Higgins."
I may be tooting my own horn, but these are direct quotes from my clients. Could I have said it any better? Perhaps I could have written more flowery things about myself. But isn't it more powerful when it comes from someone else? Can't you sense something other than "I am the best, hire me!" Of course! The above quotes come from other business owners not different from you. Their experiences directly relate to experiences you could have.
The lesson here: get as many testimonials from satisfied clients as you can. Harness the power of these messages. Testimonials move people to action. Most happy customers are glad to provide glowing praise for you and your business. So don't be afraid to ask for them. They cost little but return much.
And once you get those testimonials, put them up on your website, on your brochure and on your marketing materials. Blast them wherever you can. You will see the influence that testimonials create and you too can harness their power.
"When we worked for the first time with 'Move Your Business to the Next Level' it became clear very fast that Brooke knew more than we did about marketing and he helped us identify a direction that created an efficiency in who we would market towards. The process allowed us to achieve our calendar scheduled goals and do it with an understanding that helped us understand more about who we were and where our strengths lay as an organization. Thanks Brooke!"
Or how about this one:
"Brooke Higgins has been a key factor in taking my business to the next level. I can
honestly say that without Brooke’s guidance and support, I would not be where I am today. Brooke has the business skills and vision to see what needs to be done and the communication skills to convey important information to his clients. He has superior knowledge of all business areas, especially the marketing aspects. Most importantly Brooke has a keen insight to help develop the potential in people. He has helped me to focus my efforts where they are most needed, and set me on a course for success. If you are looking to make some real changes and take your business to the next level, then I highly recommend that you work with Brooke Higgins."
I may be tooting my own horn, but these are direct quotes from my clients. Could I have said it any better? Perhaps I could have written more flowery things about myself. But isn't it more powerful when it comes from someone else? Can't you sense something other than "I am the best, hire me!" Of course! The above quotes come from other business owners not different from you. Their experiences directly relate to experiences you could have.
The lesson here: get as many testimonials from satisfied clients as you can. Harness the power of these messages. Testimonials move people to action. Most happy customers are glad to provide glowing praise for you and your business. So don't be afraid to ask for them. They cost little but return much.
And once you get those testimonials, put them up on your website, on your brochure and on your marketing materials. Blast them wherever you can. You will see the influence that testimonials create and you too can harness their power.
Magic Formula to Coupons & Discounts
Today, many businesses are forced to play pricing wars to remain competitive. Long term sustainability is at stake so many companies slash prices. Marketing experts will say you should never differentiate on price but reality for many businesses can be different. Compete or close seem to be the only two options.
Recently I had a client ask me if there is a secret to couponing. He wanted to know if there was a magic number or a magic offer that would immediately entice consumers to come in and purchase. My answer was no. Simply put, if there were a magic number, then marketing would be easy. Things aren’t cut and dry in the marketing and pricing world.
However, there can be a magic formula to coupons and discounts. Here are some ingredients I propose to make your couponing or discounting successful:
1) Tangible Offers Sell: while the offer depends on the industry, the message should communicate tangible benefits. For example, “Free Gift on orders of $50 or more” is nice, but “Free Recipe Book” is more tangible.
2) Test and Learn: try one coupon across a couple of marketing channels (e-newsletter, direct mail, events, etc.) and see which channel is pulling the better response. Try different coupons across the same marketing channel and see which is pulling the better response. Learn from these tests and apply it the next time.
3) Consistency Builds Business: find a simple offer that you can consistently communicate. People may hear your message the first time, but it may take them 3, 6 or even 12 times to really understand your message and take action. Stick with the program long enough to truly understand if it is working.
Finally, the coupon or discount you offer depends on your business and your industry. Working with your customers during times like these will really prepare your business once the economy turns. For this reason, always think long term. Decide today where you want your business to be post-recession and act accordingly. Today’s couponing and discounts will position your business as a low-price leader today, but is that where you want to be in the future? Sustainability is key but so is long-term positioning.
Recently I had a client ask me if there is a secret to couponing. He wanted to know if there was a magic number or a magic offer that would immediately entice consumers to come in and purchase. My answer was no. Simply put, if there were a magic number, then marketing would be easy. Things aren’t cut and dry in the marketing and pricing world.
However, there can be a magic formula to coupons and discounts. Here are some ingredients I propose to make your couponing or discounting successful:
1) Tangible Offers Sell: while the offer depends on the industry, the message should communicate tangible benefits. For example, “Free Gift on orders of $50 or more” is nice, but “Free Recipe Book” is more tangible.
2) Test and Learn: try one coupon across a couple of marketing channels (e-newsletter, direct mail, events, etc.) and see which channel is pulling the better response. Try different coupons across the same marketing channel and see which is pulling the better response. Learn from these tests and apply it the next time.
3) Consistency Builds Business: find a simple offer that you can consistently communicate. People may hear your message the first time, but it may take them 3, 6 or even 12 times to really understand your message and take action. Stick with the program long enough to truly understand if it is working.
Finally, the coupon or discount you offer depends on your business and your industry. Working with your customers during times like these will really prepare your business once the economy turns. For this reason, always think long term. Decide today where you want your business to be post-recession and act accordingly. Today’s couponing and discounts will position your business as a low-price leader today, but is that where you want to be in the future? Sustainability is key but so is long-term positioning.
Marketing = Parenting
My daughter is 3 years old. She is quite playful and energetic which makes meal time difficult. While she generally stays in her seat, she is easily distracted from her food. I tend to be a bit firm in my discipline and I find myself repeating the same messages: finish your veggies, no elbows on the table, no dessert if you don’t finish your meal, etc. It’s pretty much the same one-sided dialogue night after night.
But you know what? The repetition is working. We are seeing her focus a bit more on the meal. She is not perfect, but she is beginning to understand the importance of eating everything on her plate. She even repeats our instructions to her when she sees us with elbows on the table. Our parenting success in this realm has come from the consistent repetition of the same message over and over.
Marketing is no different. Successful marketing comes from the consistent repetition of the same message. There is really no secret to the whole thing. Just repeat, repeat and repeat. In time, the consistent message will be heard by the end user. Over more time, those end users that hear the consistent message will take action. And in the long run, end users will spread the message themselves.
The “Marketing = Parenting” analogy is further understood when we talk about using different marketing channels. Let’s imagine that Peter is a high school student. Peter’s mom, Suzie, wants to make sure that Peter doesn’t forget his doctor’s appointment next week. To remind him, she makes a sign for Peter and hangs it in the bathroom. On the day of the appointment, Suzie calls Peter’s cell phone and leaves a message. She also texts him to remind him several hours before the appointment.
Did it work? Of course! The consistent repetition of the same message across a number of channels (signage, cell phone, text) forced Peter to remember his appointment. Not only did he remember the appointment, he took action and got himself to the appointment on time. This is parental marketing success!
Perhaps I am oversimplifying things by saying marketing is the same as parenting. Of course there are other elements to parenting and marketing that don’t equate. However, my point is that in parenting we need to repeat the same consistent message over and over again to achieve the desired result. In marketing, we need to do the same thing: repeat the same message—perhaps in a variety of venues—over a long period of time to accomplish the desired return.
Similar to parenting, think long term for your marketing. Think about repeating the same message over and over across a number of marketing channels. The more you repeat, the more it will stick, the more action will be taken and the more referrals you will get. It may take time, but neither children nor consumers will understand your message if you just say it once.
But you know what? The repetition is working. We are seeing her focus a bit more on the meal. She is not perfect, but she is beginning to understand the importance of eating everything on her plate. She even repeats our instructions to her when she sees us with elbows on the table. Our parenting success in this realm has come from the consistent repetition of the same message over and over.
Marketing is no different. Successful marketing comes from the consistent repetition of the same message. There is really no secret to the whole thing. Just repeat, repeat and repeat. In time, the consistent message will be heard by the end user. Over more time, those end users that hear the consistent message will take action. And in the long run, end users will spread the message themselves.
The “Marketing = Parenting” analogy is further understood when we talk about using different marketing channels. Let’s imagine that Peter is a high school student. Peter’s mom, Suzie, wants to make sure that Peter doesn’t forget his doctor’s appointment next week. To remind him, she makes a sign for Peter and hangs it in the bathroom. On the day of the appointment, Suzie calls Peter’s cell phone and leaves a message. She also texts him to remind him several hours before the appointment.
Did it work? Of course! The consistent repetition of the same message across a number of channels (signage, cell phone, text) forced Peter to remember his appointment. Not only did he remember the appointment, he took action and got himself to the appointment on time. This is parental marketing success!
Perhaps I am oversimplifying things by saying marketing is the same as parenting. Of course there are other elements to parenting and marketing that don’t equate. However, my point is that in parenting we need to repeat the same consistent message over and over again to achieve the desired result. In marketing, we need to do the same thing: repeat the same message—perhaps in a variety of venues—over a long period of time to accomplish the desired return.
Similar to parenting, think long term for your marketing. Think about repeating the same message over and over across a number of marketing channels. The more you repeat, the more it will stick, the more action will be taken and the more referrals you will get. It may take time, but neither children nor consumers will understand your message if you just say it once.
4 Absolutely Crucial Keys to Direct Mail
For most businesses, well-executed direct mail campaigns continue to generate new business, retain existing customers and build brand awareness. Old-fashioned direct mail delivered to your customer’s and prospect’s doors can truly differentiate your product or service offering. More importantly, if it is done well, your direct mail will not be seen as intrusive clutter. Instead, it can genuinely add value and promote your business.
So how do you do it well? Here are four strategies that you MUST implement with Direct Mail:
1) UTILIZE THE RIGHT LIST: The most important success factor in direct mail is your list. Make sure the database you use is representative of your target market. It’s not about the “quantity” of leads on the list; it’s about the “quality” of the leads.
The best place to start is your current and past customer base. These are your advocates for your products or services. If you continue to stay top-of-mind with these people, they will continue to recommend your business. Referrals are the easiest way to build a successful business. Mail past and current customers consistently. You can even offer incentives for referrals.
If you mail to prospects, ensure you hit your target market. Target demographics like income, age, gender, education level, etc. Consult your local print and mail shop or check out www.srds.com for more resources on the right list.
2)OFFER SOMETHING IRRESISTIBLE: Drive response with an offer that people cannot refuse. For example, “Mention this postcard and get 25% off your next order!” Offer value-add items that convert mail-recipients into paying customers. These types of offers are most successful when tied to a deadline, like “this month only.” Deadlines will create a sense of urgency and will motivate responders to follow up.
3) TRACK AND MEASURE YOUR CAMPAIGNS: Unless you track and measure the response to your campaigns, you will never know if it works. You can track your campaign by measuring responses to your offer. Some simple math can go a long way: count all of the responses to your direct mail piece and divide by the number of mail pieces you sent out to give you a “Response Rate” (responders as a percentage of pieces mailed). 1% is the industry average for direct mail, but the right offer to the right list can generate as much as 10-15% in response. Track a campaign, learn why or why not it was successful, and apply what you learned to the next campaign.
4) REPEAT, REPEAT AND REPEAT: You will never generate much business with only one direct mail piece. Sending only one piece to your list is a waste of money. You must repeat, repeat and repeat your campaigns. Repetition of a consistent message will build brand awareness. When planning direct mail, plan for three or more touch points. It’s okay to mail the same piece over and over. If you’re not mailing the same piece, make sure you use the same logo, branding, image and message in all of your pieces to reinforce a consistent brand and image.
Direct mail continues to be a very effective and efficient way to generate business and it should be a component of your marketing plan. If it is done well, it can truly move your business to the next level.
So how do you do it well? Here are four strategies that you MUST implement with Direct Mail:
1) UTILIZE THE RIGHT LIST: The most important success factor in direct mail is your list. Make sure the database you use is representative of your target market. It’s not about the “quantity” of leads on the list; it’s about the “quality” of the leads.
The best place to start is your current and past customer base. These are your advocates for your products or services. If you continue to stay top-of-mind with these people, they will continue to recommend your business. Referrals are the easiest way to build a successful business. Mail past and current customers consistently. You can even offer incentives for referrals.
If you mail to prospects, ensure you hit your target market. Target demographics like income, age, gender, education level, etc. Consult your local print and mail shop or check out www.srds.com for more resources on the right list.
2)OFFER SOMETHING IRRESISTIBLE: Drive response with an offer that people cannot refuse. For example, “Mention this postcard and get 25% off your next order!” Offer value-add items that convert mail-recipients into paying customers. These types of offers are most successful when tied to a deadline, like “this month only.” Deadlines will create a sense of urgency and will motivate responders to follow up.
3) TRACK AND MEASURE YOUR CAMPAIGNS: Unless you track and measure the response to your campaigns, you will never know if it works. You can track your campaign by measuring responses to your offer. Some simple math can go a long way: count all of the responses to your direct mail piece and divide by the number of mail pieces you sent out to give you a “Response Rate” (responders as a percentage of pieces mailed). 1% is the industry average for direct mail, but the right offer to the right list can generate as much as 10-15% in response. Track a campaign, learn why or why not it was successful, and apply what you learned to the next campaign.
4) REPEAT, REPEAT AND REPEAT: You will never generate much business with only one direct mail piece. Sending only one piece to your list is a waste of money. You must repeat, repeat and repeat your campaigns. Repetition of a consistent message will build brand awareness. When planning direct mail, plan for three or more touch points. It’s okay to mail the same piece over and over. If you’re not mailing the same piece, make sure you use the same logo, branding, image and message in all of your pieces to reinforce a consistent brand and image.
Direct mail continues to be a very effective and efficient way to generate business and it should be a component of your marketing plan. If it is done well, it can truly move your business to the next level.
3 Ways to Save the Economy
Carl Schramm, President and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation (www.kauffman.org), stated “more than 70% of voters say the health of the economy depends on the success of entrepreneurs.”
I’m no economist. I’m certainly not a politician. But I am an entrepreneur. Most of you reading this are also entrepreneurs. To say that global economic recovery rests on our shoulders is both overwhelming and intimidating.
Businesses are closing, banks are tightening their credit policies and spending is down. It’s truly enough to dishearten even the most optimistic entrepreneur.
However, there is no time for optimism and no time for pessimism. Only time for action. “Many a false step was made by standing still,” states the fortune cookie.
So try these three actions with your business:
1) Focus on Current Customers: Be proactive with your client base to ensure they don’t drop you. Work with them by offering affordable solutions. This strategy is working well with another business I own.
2) Generate Additional Sources of Revenue: Dig deep to find more revenue sources. Value-add services, presentations and informational products can be inexpensive ways to increase cash flow.
3) Start a New Business: With a little hard work and a website you can launch a business. I have done just that: www.MoveYourBusinessToTheNextLevel.com. (Check out my site for more business tips.)
If so many voters hope entrepreneurs will right the ship, then there must be lot of passengers in need of products and services!
I’m no economist. I’m certainly not a politician. But I am an entrepreneur. Most of you reading this are also entrepreneurs. To say that global economic recovery rests on our shoulders is both overwhelming and intimidating.
Businesses are closing, banks are tightening their credit policies and spending is down. It’s truly enough to dishearten even the most optimistic entrepreneur.
However, there is no time for optimism and no time for pessimism. Only time for action. “Many a false step was made by standing still,” states the fortune cookie.
So try these three actions with your business:
1) Focus on Current Customers: Be proactive with your client base to ensure they don’t drop you. Work with them by offering affordable solutions. This strategy is working well with another business I own.
2) Generate Additional Sources of Revenue: Dig deep to find more revenue sources. Value-add services, presentations and informational products can be inexpensive ways to increase cash flow.
3) Start a New Business: With a little hard work and a website you can launch a business. I have done just that: www.MoveYourBusinessToTheNextLevel.com. (Check out my site for more business tips.)
If so many voters hope entrepreneurs will right the ship, then there must be lot of passengers in need of products and services!
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